BOTANY. 



And seed-vessels, or their cells, in differ- 

 ent plants. Some, as the great English 

 naturulist, Ray, took into consideration, 

 over and above the fruit and its parts,the 

 form and number of the parts of the co- 

 rolla, and even the leaves and roots,which 

 altogether make but a motley jumble of 

 principles ; but in a second attempt, this 

 learned man was more uniform and suc- 

 cessful in his scheme. Others founded 

 their systems on the corolla alone, as Ri- 

 vinusnnd Tournefort, whose methods are 

 elegant and attractive at first sight, but 

 far mure unphilosophica], far more diffi- 

 cult in practice, than those founded on 

 the fruit. The authors of these various 

 systems disputed with great warmth con- 

 cerning then-respective merits, and each 

 had his followers and advocates. Many 

 other methods were contrived, partaking, 

 more or less, of the principles of the few 

 great leading systematics who contended 

 for the botanical sceptre, and frequently 

 borrowing from them without due ac- 

 knowledgment. All these systems have 

 now passed away, at least with respect to 

 practical use. They are the study of the 

 botanical antiquary, and they are instruc- 

 tive to the student of philosophical ar- 

 rangement in general ; but no work that 

 treats of plants is arranged by their laws, 

 nor does any practical botanist waste his 

 thoughts or judgment in comparing their 

 different merits. 



Two systems at the present day divide 

 the botanical world between them, the 

 artificial one of Linnseus, and the natural 

 one of Jussieu. Yet it can be only those 

 who are very unphilosophical, or ignorant 

 of the subject, or who have some sinister 

 purpose to serve, who bring these sys- 

 tems into competition as rivals They 

 are in fact allies and mutual supports, and 

 it is the opinion of an experienced bota- 

 nist (Dr. Smith) of the present clay, that 

 in the actual state of the science, perhaps 

 neither of these systems can stand alone. 

 Plants are so numerous, and those of their 

 parts upon which all systems depend so 

 liable to variations and irregularities, that 

 neither the Linnnean system, nor any other 

 artificial one, however simple and com- 

 prehensive its principles, can conform to 

 them all with sufficient precision to be in 

 any degree infallible On the other hand, 

 every natural system is neces.sa-.'il; so in- 

 complete, for want of an uniformly per- 

 fect knowledge in its con truer of all the 

 plants in the world, and of their mutual 

 dependencies on each other, as well as of 

 the best possible manner of defining and 

 characterizing the classes and orders in 



VOL. II. 



which human contrivance is obliged to- 

 dispose them, that to use such a system, 

 for the investigation of plants, is like 

 learning to read by the Chinese character. 

 But if we use these two methods in 

 conjunction, they eminently assist each. 

 other. If a new plant cannot be made- 

 out but by artificial marks, its affinity may' 

 be guessed at in the natural system. We 

 shall now proceed to give an outline of 

 both systems, that the student may un- 

 derstand their principles, and compre- 

 hend their several advantages. 



The Linnxan system is founded on the 

 number, situation, and proportion of the 

 essential organs of impregnation, termed 

 stamens and pistils, whose uses and struc- 

 ture we have sufficiently explained. The 

 classes, which are 24, principally owe 

 their distinctions to the stamens ; the or- 

 ders, or subdivisions of the classes, are 

 generally marked by the number of the 

 pistils, or by some other circumstances 

 equally intelligible. The names of both 

 are of Greek derivation, and allude to the 

 functions of the respective organs. The 

 first eleven classes are distinguished sole- 

 ly by the number of the stamens. 



I.' Monandria. Stamen 1. From povos, 

 one, and avyg , a man. A small class con- 

 sisting of only two orders. 



1 Monogynia. Style 1. From jttairjj, 

 one, and yyv^, a woman. Instances of 

 this are, Canna, Alpinia, Lopezia, Hippu- 

 ris. 



2. Digynia, Styles 2. ^5, t 

 Corispermum, Blitum. 



II. Diandria. Stamens 2. 



I. Monogynia, Jasminum, Salvia, Ve- 

 ronica. 



2. Digynia. Anthoxanthum only, a 

 kind of grass. 



3 .Trigynia. Piper only, or pepper. 



III. Triandria. Stamens 3. 



1. Monogynia. Valeriana, Iris, Cype- 

 rus, Scirpus. 



2. Digynia. Contains almost all the 

 natural orders of true grasses. 



3. Trigynia. Holosteum, Montia, Po- 

 lycarpon. 



IV. Tetrandria. Stamens 4. 



1. Monogynia. Protea, Scabiosa, Plan- 

 tago, Gal him. 



2. Digynia. Buffonia. 



3. Tetragynia. Potamogeton, Ruppia. 



V. Fentdndria. Stamens 5. One of 

 the largest classes. 



1. Monogynia. Borago, Echium, Pri- 

 mula, and some genera removed hither 

 from the 19th class, to be mentioned 

 hereafter, as Viola, Jasione, &c. 



Kk 



